THE SEA MULLET. 95 
-a short distance away from the median portion of the 
hyoid apparatus. 
4, Open the abdominal cavity along the belly. Raise the 
side wall of the cavity gently and notice the black 
peritoneum lining the visceral cavity, and dividing 
it from the air bladder lying above. Cut through 
the ribs near the vertebral column, and remove the 
wall of the abdominal cavity, avoiding, if possible, 
rupturing the very delicate membrane of the air 
bladder. 
5. Alimentary system.—Notice the large liver in the 
anterior portion of the cavity. It is pale yellowish- 
pink, or sometimes greenish in color, and embraces 
the stomach on both sides. With the handle of a 
scalpel turn hack the lobe next you. Notice the 
cesophagus running back into the stomach, which 
forms a cul de sac, from the lower portion of which 
the globular gizzard proceeds anteriorly. From the 
pyloric end of the gizzard (anterior in position) pro- 
ceeds the first portion of the intestine, the duodenum. 
From the duodenum proceed two thick pyloric coca 
which embrace the gizzard on either side. Near the 
same place the hepatic duct from the liver empties 
into the duodenum. Notice the gall bladder on the 
right lobe of the liver; it is large, and free, and either 
transparent, or of a brownish colour. Just below the 
stomach lies the spleen; an oval, thin, organ of a 
blood red colour. It has no duct. Gently turn over 
the intestine with the handle ofthe scalpel. From the 
duodenum it proceeds backward nearly to the end of 
the visceral cavity, it then turns forward as far as the 
stomach, then backward again to the anus; so that it 
is nearly three times as long as the visceral cavity. 
